


The Space Between.

by shannonsaid



Category: Captain America (Movies), Jurassic World (2015), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-05-04 20:51:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5348099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shannonsaid/pseuds/shannonsaid





	1. Prologue

“Blue hates me,” Natasha said, brushing aside the stray strands of hair that escaped from her braid.

Barry laughed. “They all hate you.”

“True,” she agreed, “but Blue really hates me.”

“That’s because I like you,” Owen remarked appearing behind her. He planted a kiss on the side of her face. “She’s the Beta and I’m the Alpha. You’re competition.”

“Should I be worried?” She called after him as he continued down the platform.

“Probably,” he called back before disappearing from sight.

“You sure know how to make a girl feel special.” She leaned over the railing, as Owen appeared in the entryway to the paddock.

“I know,” he smirked up at her. “You’re the one wearing my shirt, not Blue.”

“This?” She said, pulling at the oversized flannel shirt she was wearing. “This is your way of making a girl feel special?”

He winked. “You know it!”

She shook head, mumbling incoherently in Russian.

“You picked him,” Barry said coming to stand beside her.

“Don’t remind me,” she grinned.

She felt her heart race in her chest as Owen approached the door to the paddock. He trusted the Raptors and the Raptors trusted him, but Natasha knew that could all change in an instant. The Raptors were wild animals and trust only went so far before instinct took over.

Typing in his code to unlock the paddock, he looked over his shoulder at her. “We’re infinite.”

“We’re infinite,” she repeated back to him.

It was their version of ‘I love you,’ because ‘love is for children.’

Natasha took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She waited until she heard the paddock door close before opening them again.

“Blue! I saw that!” Owen’s voice sounded firm but affectionate.

Natasha watched Owen with the Raptors, and she marveled, as she always did, at the partnership between their Beta and their Alpha. They had an understanding that didn’t need words or commands, always knowing where the other was or where they were going to be. They were flawless. They were perfect.

“Your boy’s good,” Barry commented once the training exercise was over and the paddock doors had shut again.

“He sure thinks he is.”

“Hey! I head that,” Owen laughed from behind her. He snaked his arms around her waist and spun her around to face him. “Don’t be jealous,” he said sliding his hands into the back pockets of her too short jean shorts.

“I don’t know, man. I’m kind of jealous.” Barry laughed, pushing himself off of the railing and heading down the platform.

Owen pulled a hand out of Natasha’s back pocket and pointed at Barry. “No one asked you!” He felt her lips on his jaw and allowed his gaze to be pulled back to hers. “Don’t listen to him.”

“I never do.” She pressed her lips to his. “Besides, I don’t know why he’d be jealous. You’re the one that’s in relationships with two women who can kill you.”

Owen pursed his lips together, “I liked it better when I thought you were jealous.”

“I never said I wasn’t,” she winked, rolling out of his grasp.

“And where do you think you’re going?” He asked, grabbing her flannel and pulling her back into him.

“I’m late for my run-through with ACU. I’ll see you back at home.”

“We’re infinite,” he said pressing his lips against hers.

“Mhmm,” she mumbled into his lips, “and so are you and Blue.”

She was out of his arms and down the stairs less than a heartbeat later.

“No fair!” He called after her.

She waved a hand behind her, as she crawled onto his motorcycle.

“Wait! That’s my bike!” He yelled leaning over the railing.

She threw a smirk over her shoulder. “I know.”

“First my shirt and now my bike?”

“I’m special, remember?” She yelled over the roar of the engine.

Before Owen had a chance to reply, Natasha and his bike disappeared in a cloud of dust.


	2. Chapter 2

“Romanoff.”

Natasha was the only one who didn’t turn at the sound of the former SHIELD Director’s voice, and that was why a moment later her opponent found himself flat on his back with Natasha’s foot at his throat.

“I’m pretty sure he said ‘Romanoff,’ not ‘Edwards.’” She smirked, offering him her hand. “Rematch tomorrow?”

He placed his hand in hers, “so you can beat my ass again?”

“Who knows,” she shrugged, pulling him to his feet, “you may beat me tomorrow.”

“Right, Romanoff,” he laughed, “your moves have moves. No one ever beats you.”

“Barton did,” she offered, “twice. Ward did too, but we don’t talk about him anymore.”

He shook his head with another laugh. “Tomorrow then?”

Natasha nodded before walking over to Fury. “Fury,” she said, folding her arms over her chest.

Fury’s lip curved into a half smirk. “Still like to play with your food before you eat it, I see.”

“What?” She asked innocently. “Barton and Ward did beat me.”

“It took Barton 10 years to beat you once and another 3 to beat you the second time. And you and I both know Ward only beat you because he cheated.”

“A win is still a win.”

“Fair enough,” he said handing her a folder.

“New mission?” Unfolding her arms, she flipped open the folder. “You’re not the Director, Fury, you can’t authorize this.”

“I know a guy.” He offered her another smirk, as he flipped to the last page.

Natasha stared down at the signature that stared back up at her.

‘Phillip J. Coulson’

“How did — Why?” Natasha released the air from her lungs, regaining her composure. “Why?”

Fury nodded down the hallway, inviting Natasha to walk with him.

She closed the folder before falling into step beside him.

“Everyone deserves a break, Natasha.”

“This?” She held the folder up between them. “This isn’t a break, Nick, this is a termination.”

“You haven’t been fired, you’ve been relieved of duty.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

“You don’t have to accept. You can toss that folder into the next trash can we see and pretend this never happened. Or,” he glanced over at her, “you can do what we both know you want to do and just say yes.”

Natasha would be lying to the both of them if she acted as if she hadn’t thought about leaving 1000 times since Ultron and Sokovia. Because she had been thinking about it and she thought about it often. Not because she thought she had atoned for all her sins, but because she felt as if she had lost her way. For as long as she could remember, she had always been so preoccupied with being whatever/whoever everyone else needed her to be that she had forgotten to be who she needed herself to be.

“Give it some thought, Romanoff. Just don’t think too hard or wait too long.”

Natasha flipped back through the folder, pausing when she stumbled across a plane ticket. “Isla Nublar?”

“I figured if you had a destination, you’d be more inclined to say yes.” He flipped the page over, “there’s also a job waiting for you. A friend of mine needed someone to head his Asset Containment Unit and I told him you’d be perfect.”

“In a hurry to get rid of me, Nick?”

“No, trying to give you what you deserve.” He stopped walking and turned to face her. “Every decision in your life has been made for you. The Red Room. SHIELD. The Avengers. This is your chance to make a decision for yourself.” He closed her hands around the folder. “You can choose to stay with the Avengers or SHIELD or both, or you can take what this folder offers and go to Isla Nublar or Canada or anywhere. Be free, Natasha.” Fury rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently, before he turned and walked away.

Natasha felt Fury’s hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t look up. She couldn’t look up. She knew if she did, they’d be too many emotions scrawled across her features and she wasn’t ready to admit those to the world yet.

Natasha’s hands closed tighter around the folder. She had always believed she was her own woman — first, last, and always — but she hadn’t been. Nick Fury had been right. None of her choices had ever truly been her own. The Red Room hadn’t asked her if she wanted to become the perfect weapon, they just made her into it. SHIELD hadn’t asked if she wanted to join their ranks, they just gave her an ultimatum; join us or be imprisoned. Even the Avengers hadn’t asked her to join their Superhero Boy Band, they just assumed she’d want to and so she did.

“All things must end,” she mumbled to herself.

Walking over to the nearest garbage can, she unclipped the ‘Widow Stings’ from her wrists and tossed them in. As they clattered their way to the bottom, she turned away from the garbage can and never looked back.

She found Steve where she always found him — in the Control Room looking for any sign of the Winter Soldier. No matter how many times Natasha told him that he was chasing a ghost, he refused to give up.

“Nat,” he greeted, not looking up from the screen in front of him.

She slid into the seat next to him. “Still no sign of him?”

“Not yet.” His voice dared her to contradict him.

She turned her head to smile at him, “you’re a stubborn one, Rogers.”

“If I wasn’t, there wouldn’t be a Captain America.”

She shook her head with a laugh before turning her attention to her own screen.

“Steve,” she said after awhile, breaking their comfortable silence.

“Hmm,” he murmured, his eyes still glued to the screen in front of him.

“If I ever go missing, promise me you won’t try to find me.”

Without waiting for an answer, she stood from her chair and left the Control Room. She had made her decision and she didn’t need Captain America — Steve Rogers — making her second guess herself. Because he could. He could probably even get her to change her mind. That was the power you gave to people you trusted — to people you loved.

“Whoa! Slow down there, killer.”

Hands wrapped themselves around her arms, and less than a heartbeat later, Clint Barton was flat on his back.

“Uncle! Uncle!” He exclaimed, holding his hands out in front of him.

“That was a stupid move, Barton.” Natasha grabbed one of his out stretched hands and pulled him up. “I could’ve killed you.”

“Wouldn’t’ve been the first time,” he said dusting himself off. “Killer,” he added as an afterthought.

“I heard your joke the first time. It wasn’t funny then, and it’s not funny now.”

He shrugged, “I thought it was hilarious.”

“As you think all your jokes are, Barton, and you’re always the only one who does.”

He shrugged again, dismissing her poke at him. “Where you off to in such a hurry?”

“To find you, actually.”

He raised and eyebrow, “oh?”

“You can lower that eyebrow, Barton, I was just coming to — “ she paused.

To say bye? To tell him — and him only — where she was going? To ask him to ask her not to go?

“Nat?” He asked concerned.

She lifted her eyes to his and the reason why she was looking for him stared back at her. If she was honest with herself, the reason had been staring back at her for years.

She closed the distance between them and crashed her lips against his. She felt him smile, as her heart banged against her chest. She knew this wasn’t fair to either of them — especially not him — but she knew she couldn’t leave without first tasting his lips.

“Always,” she said, her lips still pressed to his.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. “I knew this was too good to be true.”

She pressed her lips to his again, lingering for half a breath, before pulling away. She took the arrow from around her neck and placed it in his palm, “be safe, Barton.” Slipping from his grasp, she placed a kiss at his jaw, and walked away.

“Nat!” He called after her.

She paused, but didn’t turn around.

“Always, Nat. Always.”

She smiled to herself. “Bye, Clint,” she whispered, as she continued down the hallway.

— - — - — - — - — - — - — - —

Natasha stepped off the ferry and removed her sunglasses. The sun was still extremely bright, but the brim of her hat shaded her eyes well enough for her to take in her surroundings. As her eyes scanned the area, Natasha was certain of only one thing: she had never been anywhere like this.

“Welcome,” a voice called over the speakers, “to Isla Nublar and Jurassic World.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Is that true, Romanoff?”

Natasha paused mid-stretch to stare at the brown haired ACU member. “Is what true?”

“That drinks are on you tonight?”

“Since when does winner buy drinks, Dubi?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

“Since they’re never the loser,” another ACU member replied.

Natasha turned her green eyes toward the shaggy haired blonde that had replied. “It’s not my fault none of you can best me, Price.”

He laughed. “No one can best you, Romanoff.”

The members of the ACU hadn’t been thrilled when they learned their new Commander was a woman. They were even less so when they met the petite redheaded form of Natasha Romanoff. That was until she defeated each of them in hand-to-hand combat, as well as everything else they had thrown her way. After that, it didn’t take long for her to gain their loyalty and earn their trust.

“Just because none of you can best me, doesn’t mean no one can.”

“Dinosaurs don’t count!” Dubinsky exclaimed with a laugh.

“Why? They’re someone’s, are they not?” She smirked, as the door to the ACU’s training facility opened.

All heads spun toward the open door and the woman standing on its threshold. She was a redhead, like Natasha, but was dressed in a crisp business suit and heels, instead of a sports bra and leggings.

Price let out a low whistle. “She’d be hot if she didn’t look so - “

“Uptight,” Natasha finished for him.

“Excuse me,” the woman said, her heels echoing off the tiled floor. “I’m looking for Commander Romanoff, is he around?”

“No, but she is,” Price said nodding toward Natasha.

The woman’s hand flew to her mouth. “I’m sorry, I just assumed - “

“You’re not the first,” Natasha said dismissively, “and I’m sure you won’t be the last.” She dusted her hands off on her leggings. “Natasha Romanoff,” she offered the woman her hand, “how can help you?”

“Claire Dearing,” she nodded, not taking Natasha’s offered hand. “Mr. Masrani just landed and he was hoping you’d could join him - us - on a tour of the park.”

“A tour of the park?”

Natasha had toured the park, multiple times, both with and without her team. She had felt it was important to know and understand the park as best she could, in the hopes of preventing catastrophes.

Claire held up a finger, as her phone rang. “This is Claire. Yes, Mr. Masrani, I’m here with her now. I wish you would’ve told me she was a her beforehand. Yes, one should never make assumptions, Mr. Masrani. Control Room? We’ll be there in 20.” She clicked off her phone and turned her attention back to Natasha. “Should I give you some time to change?”

Natasha walked over to the nearest bench, grabbed one of the many discarded ACU tee shirts, and tossed it on over her sports bra. “Ready.”

It was clear by Claire’s expression that she didn’t approve of Natasha’s attire, but thought it best not to comment on it. “Very well,” she nodded heading toward the door.

“We’ll save you some shots, Romanoff,” Dubinsky whispered.

“Better make it a whole bottle,” Natasha replied, before following behind Claire.

— - — - — - — - — - — - — - —

Natasha leaned against the railing of the helipad and stared out across Jurassic World. Natasha had thought she had seen it all working with SHIELD and the Avengers, but she had been wrong. Superheroes, aliens, demigods, killer robots? Those she could handle. Those she could believe in. But dinosaurs? Those she didn’t think she’d ever get used to.

She felt the air shift suddenly and knew she was no longer alone on the helipad.

“It’s rude to stare,” she remarked, not bothering to turn around.

“I was just - “

“If you say, ‘admiring the view,’” Natasha interrupted, “just know you wouldn’t be the first person I kicked off a building.”

“Fair enough,” he said coming to stand beside her. “Ow - “

“Owen Grady,” Natasha interrupted again. “I do my homework.”

“Clearly,” he smirked, “and you are?”

Natasha turned to face him, leaning sideways against the railing. “Maybe you should’ve done yours.”

“Maybe,” he agreed with a laugh. “Is that why you’re out here and not in there? Homework?”

She shook her head, “I don’t do politics.”

“Me either, I’m just here to - “

“Pick up Claire,” she interrupted again with a smirk. “I know.”

Owen raised an eyebrow, “are you stalking me?”

Natasha tossed her head back with a laugh. “Hardly. I overheard her and her assistant going over your itinerary.”

“Itinerary? Who makes an itinerary for a date?”

“Your date for the evening. And just so you know, she did plan for a goodnight kiss.”

Owen laughed, but when Natasha didn’t join him, he stopped. “Wait. You’re not kidding, are you?”

“Look on the bright side, at least she thinks you’re worthy of a goodnight kiss.”

“True,” he laughed, as the door to the Control Room opened and Claire stepped out onto the helipad.

“Oh, Owen,” she gasped in surprise. “I didn’t realize you were here.”

“Hi, Claire,” Owen smiled, “are you ready to go?”

“Uh, yeah, just one second,” she disappeared back into the Control Room.

Natasha pushed herself off of the railing, “see you around, Grady.”

He nodded, “see you around, Romanoff.”

“So you did do your homework,” she grinned.

“Maybe,” he said returning her grin.

“Enjoy your date,” she said heading toward the Control Room door. “Oh,” she paused, turning to face him, “if you find yourself in need of a drink later, I know where they hide all the good stuff.”

“Thanks,” he said, as the door opened again and Claire reappeared.

“Ready,” Claire nodded toward Owen.

“Have fun, guys,” Natasha said, disappearing through the door Claire had just appeared through.

— - — - — - — - — - — - — - —

“Aren’t fires on the beach against the rules?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be on a date?”

“Touche.”

“Didn’t make it to the goodnight kiss then?” She asked, as he slid into the beach chair next to hers.

“Didn’t even make it to after dinner drinks.” He shook his head. “Who doesn’t drink tequila?”

“Intelligent people,” Natasha replied offering him the bottle of vodka she was drinking from. “We drink vodka.”

Owen accepted the bottle with a nod. “I’m pretty sure she didn’t plan on drinking vodka either. Or anything, really.” He pressed the bottle to his lips and took a handful of swallows. “She said something about a diet.” He handed the bottle back to Natasha, “What’s with women and dieting anyway? Dieting takes all the fun out of life.”

“Us and dieting?” Natasha rolled her eyes. “Men expect perfection from women. Perfect hair. Perfect face. Perfect body. Anything less than is unacceptable.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Natasha took a few sips from the bottle before placing it between them in the sand. “Take Claire for example; she runs a multibillion dollar business for a man who only wants to know “how his animals are doing and doesn’t care about profit.” That’s only because he’s making a huge profit because of Claire’s genius. If Claire wasn’t focusing all her time and energy on the business aspect and spent it focusing on the wellness of the animals, she’d be considered too soft.”

“But the wellness of the animals is important.”

Natasha nodded in agreement. “That’s why people like you are here, Grady, to make sure the animals are. It’s balance.”

“It sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”

Natasha shrugged. “She has it way harder than I do. All it takes for me to prove I’m an equal is to best every man I face. Which I do, by the way.”

“I’ve heard,” he laughed grabbing the bottle from the sand.

She smirked. “But that only ever makes me their equal. To them, I’ll never be the best.”

Not that Natasha needed or wanted anyone to admit she was the best. She worked best in the shadows. Having praise follow ahead or behind her would only weaken her abilities.

“Speaking of the ACU,” he said taking a few more swallows. “How does an assassin turned spy turned Avenger end up as Commander of the ACU?”

“That’s classified,” she grinned grabbing the bottle from him. “Now tell me, Owen Grady, how does a Navy SEAL end up a foster dad to a group of Velociraptors?

“He gets dishonorably discharged for disobeying a direct order, and then gets a chance to regain some of his honor by adopting Velociraptors.”

Natasha held the bottle out to him. “That was not in your file.”

“Don’t apologize,” Owen laughed, accepting the bottle from her again.

“I wasn’t.”

“Right,” he said, the right side of his mouth lifting into a smirk. “If given the chance to do it again, I’d make the same decision. My commanding officer was wrong. Had I listened to him, a lot people would be dead that wouldn’t have needed to be. I’d take dishonor over that, every time.”

“Righteousness,” she sighed.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, in the larger sense. In the personal sense?” She shook her head.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he grinned, finishing off the bottle before standing up. “Your fire has died, and your alcohol is gone, may I walk you to your door?” Owen asked offering her his hand.

“I guess,” she said allowing herself to be pulled up from her chair. “But don’t think you’re getting a replacement goodnight kiss from me.”

Owen laughed. “The thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but I’m glad to know it crossed yours.”

“What? No, I - “ Natasha fell silent, suddenly very aware of her hand in Owen’s and the fact that she had thought about kissing him - more than once.

“It appears we have reached your door,” he said releasing her hand.

Natasha nodded, “so it would appear. Well,” she said turning to face him, as he pressed his lips against hers.

“I lied,” he whispered into her lips. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the helipad.”

“Goodnight, Grady,” she said pulling open her door.

“Hey,” Owen grabbed her hand. “You should come to the paddock tomorrow and meet my Raptors.”

“Maybe.” She smirked, pulling her hand from his and disappearing inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Natasha slowed her pace to a walk when she noticed the bike parked next to her bungalow. It was parked where Owen’s normally was, but she knew Owen’s bike, and that bike wasn’t his. She may not have recognized the bike, but the blonde head that was sitting casually on her deck, she’d recognize anywhere.

Mounting the steps, she slid her arms over her chest, and leaned against the railing. “I thought you promised not to look for me, Rogers?”

He turned his head at the sound of her voice, “actually, Romanoff, you left before I could promise anything.”

“Technicalities, Rogers. I disappeared for a reason.”

Steve nodded, “I know, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t need your help.”

Natasha pushed herself free of the railing, and too the seat opposite his. “I don’t do that anymore, Steve. I don’t spy or avenge.”

“I know,” he said again, “but this is important, Nat. I need you.”

“Why me?” She asked raising an eyebrow. “Why not Sam or Tony or Wanda? Why not the Avengers?”

Natasha watched as a million different emotions made their way across Steve’s face. Watched as he ran his hands through his hair and licked his lips, two things he only ever did when he felt backed into a corner. When he had to make a decision between a rock and a hard place.

“Steve,” she said softly, bringing his attention back to her and away from the thoughts that had him miles away. “What happened?”

Rogers ran a hand over his face, before settling his gaze on hers. “It’s Bucky, Nat. It’s Bucky and Tony and the Avengers.” He shook his head. “The worlds governments want control of the Avengers. They want to be able to control our actions, to tell us where to go and when. They want to lock Bucky up for his past crimes. For the things that he couldn’t control. They don’t want to try and understand or listen to reason, they just want to lock him up and throw away the key.” He sagged further into the chair. “And if we don’t agree, if we don’t turn Bucky over, we become the bad guys. We become the enemies of the entire world.”

“Stark already agreed, didn’t he?”

She didn’t need Steve’s agreement to know that Tony would’ve agreed almost immediately. Tony lived in a world full of guilt and self hatred, a world Natasha knew and understood intimately.

Steve nodded slowly. “He didn’t even hesitate to agree. It’s as if he thinks we’re all animals that need to be controlled.”

“No,” Natasha shook her head. “That’s not what Stark thinks at all and you know it. Stark may be an egotistical maniac, but there isn’t anything he loves more in this world than the Avengers. He’d die for each one of you without even blinking.”

“If that were true, Nat, he wouldn’t have agreed. He would’ve fought for understanding. He wouldn’t have bowed down to them.”

“It is true, and that’s exactly why he agreed.” She shook her head, cutting off his attempted interruption. “He agreed to keep you guys together, to allow you guys to continue to do what you’re doing. And yes, maybe for a little while it’ll be messy and confusing, but it won’t be that way forever. Eventually everything will straighten itself out and the Avengers will be able to do exactly what they need to do, when they need to do it. At least this way, you’ll still have one hand on the steering wheel.”

Steve dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t agree to their terms, Natasha. I can’t do it.”

“Why? Because you think they’re wrong? Or because of Barnes?”

Natasha tapped her foot against Steve’s, causing him to lift his head at stare at her. “I don’t know.”

“Yes. You do. And it’s the more selfish of reasons.” She offered him a sad smile. “I know what it’s like to not have control of your own mind. To do things without knowing your doing them, and then to have to come home and live with that guilt. It sits in the pit of your stomach, it buries itself in your heart, and it never goes away.” She pressed her lip between her teeth. “But just because I wasn’t in control when I did them, I still did them. It was still my hand, or gun, or knife. It was still my lie or promise. At the end of the day, I’m still responsible.”

“That’s not fair,” Steve said shaking his head. “To you or to Bucky. You didn’t ask to be turned into these weapons, to be controlled, to be used.”

“No. We didn’t, but we were.” She leaned forward, pressing her knee against his. “I don’t believe Barnes deserves to be imprisoned, but I do believe him turning himself in is better than the alternative. The longer he remains on the run, the longer the world has to convince himself that he deserves to be punished.”

“I can’t turn him in, Nat, I can’t.” His voice cracked, as his eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

“I know.”

And she did know, it more ways than she cared to admit. She had tracked the Winter Soldier down shortly after he had disappeared from Washington DC. She had spent weeks with him, hauled up in rundown apartments across Europe. They had talked about their pasts, about the blood on their hands, about the guilt that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. They had whispered things to each other in the dark. Made promises that they knew they couldn’t keep. Reminded each of the promises they had made and broken in a past life. And when it was over, she picked up the pieces of her life, and continued. Never talking about it, and never forgetting.

“I’m sorry, Steve.”

“Still won’t help, huh?” He asked halfheartedly.

She shook her head, “it’s not my fight anymore. It’s not my life.”

He bumped his knee against hers, “I know. I knew coming here. I think I just wanted to see you. I think I needed to see you.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“You seem good. Are you good?”

She nodded, smiling. “Yeah. Who would’ve thought dinosaurs would be the answer?”

“I’m not sure anyone could’ve predicted dinosaurs. Aliens? Gods? Murderous metal men? Now those, those are predictable. Dinosaurs?” He shook his head with a small laugh.

“Maybe they’re weren’t as unpredictable as we thought. I mean, look at you. You’re a living, breathing fossil. And now? So are they.”

“That’s low. Even for you, Romanoff.”

“Is it though?” She winked.

She heard the rumble of a motorcycle, followed by the crunch of gravel.

“Expecting someone?” Rogers asked, his eyes alight with a sudden mischief.

She shrugged, “you could say that.”

The rumble of the engine disappeared, only to be replaced by the sound of Owen’s confused voice.

“When did you get a bike, Nat?” Turning away from the bike, he paused at the bottom of the stairs. “Wait. Whoa. Are you -“ he looked from Steve to Natasha, “is he -“ he turned his head back to Steve, “are you Captain America?”

Natasha rolled her eyes as she glanced from Owen to Steve.

“Steve Rogers,” Steve said, standing up from his chair and offering Owen his hand.

Owen climbed the steps two at a time. “You’re Captain America.” He said, wrapping his hand around Steve’s and shaking it. “I’m shaking Captain America’s hand,” he grinned, turning towards Natasha. “I can’t believe I’m shaking Captain America’s hand. Wow. Captain America.” His grin was still in place when he turned back to Steve. “I should probably let go of your hand now, but you’re Captain America and I kind of don’t want to.”

Natasha sighed, shaking her head. “Grady, let go of his hand.”

“Right. Yeah. Sorry.” He laughed. “Captain America.” He said again, pointing his thumb at Rogers.

“Yes, Grady, Captain America.” She smiled apologetically at Steve. “Sorry about him. He’s special.”

“I’m Owen Grady,” Owen ramble, still grinning.

Steve laughed, “good to meet you.” He glanced at Natasha, “I should get going.”

“You don’t have to go,” Natasha said, standing up from her chair. “Stay for dinner, see the dinosaurs.”

“Thanks, but I’ve already been gone too long. Maybe next time.”

Natasha wrapped her arms around Steve, pulling him into her. “I hope there is a next time,” she whispered against his ear.

“Me too.”

She pressed a kiss against his cheek, as she released him. “Good luck, Steve.”

“You too, Nat, you too.” He turned to Owen, “take good care of her, or she’ll kill you.”

“Oh, I know,” Owen laughed.

Natasha and Owen remained silent as they watched Steve dismount the steps and climb onto his bike. Moments later, he had disappeared into a sea of gravel and dust.

“I can’t believe my girlfriend knows Captain America.” Shaking his head, he dropped an arm across her shoulders.

“I’m not your girlfriend,” Natasha reminded him, as her hand caught his and intertwined their fingers.

“Right. Right. You’re just this girl I know who lets me kiss her from time to time.” He smirked, turning his head to glance down at her. “Like now?”

She grinned, leaning forward to press her lips to his. “Like now.”


End file.
